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Water Grill - San Diego, San Diego, CA

Water Grill - San Diego

4.6
4.6
3010 Reviews
$31 to $50
Seafood
Located steps away from Petco Park in the heart of Downtown San Diego, Water Grill is a true seafood destination. Family owned and operated, Water Grill focuses on first-of-the-season seafood and has delivered a superior dining experience for more than 30 years. Their devotion to quality seafood sourced in-house, is illustrated on their daily menus.

Sourcing from local fishermen, Water Grill’s seafood arrives from boat to table in a matter of hours. Water Grill Executive Chefs prepare the dishes with care, allowing the fresh seafood to shine, while using high-quality ingredients to elevate the recipe. From Spiny Lobsters in the fall to Wild Salmon in the spring, Water Grill’s focus is all about local, sustainable seafood and a one-of-a-kind experience.

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2 people

7:00 PM


Booked 73 times today
Private dining

Private dining

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Dining areas

Additional information

  • Dining style

    Casual Elegant

  • Cuisines

    Seafood, American, Fine cuts

  • Hours of operation

    Mon–Thu, Sun 11:30 am–10:00 pm Fri, Sat 11:30 am–11:00 pm

  • Phone number

    (619) 717-6992

  • Payment options

    AMEX, Diners Club, Discover, MasterCard, Visa

  • Dress code

    Smart Casual

  • Executive chef

    Jason Gethin

  • Private party facilities

    Whether celebrating a special occasion with family and friends or hosting a corporate outing, Water Grill - San Diego can accommodate all your special event needs.

  • Private party contact

    Arian James : (619) 717-6992

  • Neighborhood

    Downtown / Gaslamp

  • Cross street

    6th Avenue and J Street

  • Parking details

    Street Parking

  • Additional

    Banquet, Bar/Lounge, Beer, BYO Wine, Cocktails, Full Bar, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Takeout, Wheelchair Access, Wine

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What 3,010 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.6
4.6 based on recent ratings
  • 4.5Food
  • 4.6Service
  • 4.6Ambience
  • 4.1Value

NoiseModerate

Loved For

  • San Diego

    Seafood

  1. RebeccaO

    Portland

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined 5 days ago

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Great service, prompt ordering and delivery. Food was incredible!

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  2. OpenTable Diner

    San Diego

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined 6 days ago

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    This place is so much better than Mister As!!! The reason why we came late (10pm Saturday) at this restaurant was because we wanted to try Mister As first since they close earlier. It was my birthday weekend and my fiancé wanted me to try places I wanted to try. So anyway, The ambience was amazing! Everyone was lively and even the staff was jolly and seemed like they loved what they do. The customers were bubbly but not boisterously. It is an open concept so it was not hot nor cold. Air was coming in from the outside. The food menu offered so many options from seafood to sushi and even steaks! So much better than the first place! Crazy! We had a dozen of Western Oysters and boy the habanero-lime relish was the star!!! Their mignonette was unforgettable as well! We also had the KING CRAB CALIFORNIA ROLL and wow it was the best sushi twist we have ever had!! The butter nikiri and fried leeks were amazing that they balanced the taste of the sushi dipped in soy sauce! Lastly, we got the Wild Maryland Soft-shell Crab. That dish was a balance of sweetness (due to the watermelon and cucumber) and saltiness due to the sauce and flavors of the crab itself. It blew our mind! Our waitstaff/server was great and her name was Lyndsay. She was knowledgeable and kind and gave us recommendations! We shall be back for sure for date nights or just cravings!

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  3. LauraM

    San Francisco

    4 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    4 reviews

    Dined 7 days ago

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    If you want to eat well in the Gaslamp and also feel that you are part of a bustling scene, this is a perfect place to be. The food is expensive, as the cocktails are, but they are exceptionally good, too. The service is very professional and somehow warm at the same time. Highly recommend the chowder--best I've had in San Diego.

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  4. MichaelB

    San Diego

    10 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    10 reviews

    Dined on May 31, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    A bit pricey, but the quality of the food, the imagination, preparation and delivery are all first rate. Especially liked the 'no corkage fee' policy for bringing in a bottle of wine.

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  5. JohnB

    Sacramento

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on May 31, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Fabulous food, drinks and service. Love the WG!!!

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  6. OpenTable Diner

    Phoenix

    225 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    225 reviews

    Dined on May 31, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Great food‼️ Great atmosphere‼️ Great service by Chris‼️

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  7. JamesL

    San Diego

    11 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    11 reviews

    Dined on May 31, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Great location and ambiance. Food is very good and Kentucky Preacher on the rocks is an excellent bourbon cocktail.

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  8. OpenTable Diner

    1 review

    4.0

    1 review

    Dined on May 29, 2023

    overall4food4service5ambience5
    Service was great. The waiter was very knowledgeable and friendly.

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  9. Jason

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on May 29, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    A colleague recommended we eat at Water Grill and it was delicious! 5-stars. Fresh oysters, a variety of expertly-sourced seafood, knowledgeable servers, and a subdued cosmopolitan vibe. We were visiting and all agreed it is a requisite destination upon our return.

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  10. BreanaD

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on May 29, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    We came here for dinner during our honeymoon and it was amazing. The food was delicious. The ambience was great. The staff was friendly. Our waiter, Niko, made our night. He gave us lots of great suggestions and was very helpful. We will definitely be coming back.

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  11. TaylorP

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on May 28, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Food was incredible! I savored every bite. My friend and I were unsure about which oysters to try and the waitress was super helpful. Best Bloody Mary I’ve had in San Diego so far and the sushi was delicious. Def recommend

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  12. Momof3

    San Diego

    159 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    159 reviews

    Dined on May 27, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Nicolas was an amazing server ! The recommendations he made were great. The shrimp appetizer was great. My hubby had crab legs- so good! And I had the halibut which was outstanding. The key lime pie was dessert was amazing too. The service though was the star of the show :)

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  13. KevinM

    Orange County

    9 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    9 reviews

    Dined on May 27, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Great place for seafood and drinks!! The service was fantastic- They even decorated our table with rose petals to help us celebrate our wedding anniversary- nice touch!😊

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  14. Floydie

    Hawaii

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on May 27, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Amazing! Honeymoon oysters are amazing! The Chilean bass was the best cooked fish I ever ate!

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  15. CathrynD

    Orange County

    5 reviews

    vip
    1.0

    5 reviews

    Dined on May 23, 2023

    overall1food1service3ambience2
    My husband became very, very sick after dinner he had the Chiopino (sp?) seafood Soup--he has never had this problem before

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  16. NEBs

    Washington DC

    29 reviews

    5.0

    29 reviews

    Dined on May 23, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    I have no bad things to say about this experience. I enjoyed it so much that I had already scheduled my next reservation before I finished my appetizer.

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  17. JanE

    San Diego

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on May 20, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience4
    We chose Water Grill for our anniversary dinner before a Padre game. Excellent! We had the best oyster sampler, followed by a delicious clam chowder. Shaun, our wonderful server, saved the last Spiny Lobster for us & it was devine! He then brought us an amazing slice of Key Lime Pie on the house. What a great meal!!! Can’t wait to go back!

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  18. PrincessDi

    Austin

    29 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    29 reviews

    Dined on May 19, 2023

    overall5food4service5ambience5
    I ordered the Big Eye Tuna and it was just way too spicy for me. My Wedge Salad was awesome so was the Chardonnay Wine and Dinner Rolls. Wish I would have ordered the Chilesn Sea Bass instead. My Waiter Brian was very nice and very attentive.

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  19. OpenTable Diner

    Tallahassee

    4 reviews

    5.0

    4 reviews

    Dined on May 19, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Delicious food and cocktails. Our waiter Joey was top-notch! Highly recommend and would definitely eat here again.

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  20. DeneenM

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on May 15, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    We went to Water Grill on Mother's Day. Everything was very good, the food, the service, and the drinks. A little pricey but worth it!

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  21. Robert

    Chicago

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on May 15, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    I have been here many times and its always great. Fantastic food, consistently great service. One of my favorite seafood places in San Diego.

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  22. OpenTable Diner

    San Diego

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on May 14, 2023

    overall5food3service5ambience4
    Always a lovely setting. The service from the hostess, server (Jordan) and the bartender that brought my wife her old fashion drink.

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  23. criticalmouth

    San Diego

    6 reviews

    4.0

    6 reviews

    Dined on May 14, 2023

    overall4food4service5ambience4
    We went here for Mother’s Day lunch. This place is very overpriced. The service was impeccable , and the urban ambiance fantastic. However, some of the dishes left a lot to be desired. The cioppino broth was too rich. The soft shell crab had so much egg in it that I couldn’t taste the crab itself. Despite the excellent Spanish octopus dish, I’m not coming back.

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  24. LeoM

    San Diego

    3 reviews

    5.0

    3 reviews

    Dined on May 14, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    We were promptly sat at the requested booth seating of choice. The food was quality - delicious, fresh, and temperatures on point. What made our experience - a mother’s day lunch - so special was the service provided by everyone, but notably by Roberto, our server. I encounter maybe 1-2 top quality servers a year and we dine out quite frequently. Roberto was professional, courteous, warm and went the extra mile. He was by far one of the best servers we’ve had. He made the dining experience very special and memorable. Compliments to the chef as well. Bravo Water Grill!

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  25. PaulO

    San Diego

    13 reviews

    4.0

    13 reviews

    Dined on May 14, 2023

    overall4food4service5ambience5
    Very nice place, warm cozy with a nice ambiance. Great service! A bit on the pricey side but a great special occasion place. My ,Scampi sauce was lacking consistency and perhaps a bit oily but delicious nonetheless.

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  26. DonnaV

    Chicago

    28 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    28 reviews

    Dined on May 9, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    The Chilean Sea Bass was delicious and comforting. Margarita Verde is a fav. Do not skip the rolls.

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  27. PhillipG

    San Diego

    1 review

    1.0

    1 review

    Dined on May 8, 2023

    overall1food1service1ambience1
    We were treated very poorly after leaving a Padres game on Sunday, May 7, 2023. Maybe because we were in Padres gear. Had a reservation, but was still given an undesirable table. Clam chowder came before drinks and while other person was in restroom. Had three pieces of clams in it. Didn't proceed with dinner order. The manager, Jackie Depippo said she would send us some sort of compensation or incentive to eat there again. Crickets. Overpriced mediocre restaurant. Avoid at all costs!!

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  28. nicoleg

    1 review

    3.0

    1 review

    Dined on May 7, 2023

    overall3food3service4ambience3
    This restaurant was very pricey for what it was. There were very few reasonably priced items on the menu that were not appetizers. The main courses were about $50 and came with essentially nothing else (the fish I ordered was just a nice piece of fish on a plate with a small swirl of butternut squash puree) You had to order sides if you wanted any vegetables, which then increased the price to around $65. For that price, everything should have been far more upscale. The food was good but not so exceptional that it was worth the cost.

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  29. MichaelT

    Phoenix

    8 reviews

    5.0

    8 reviews

    Dined on May 7, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Impressive seafood and excellent service for our business dinner

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  30. WorthAVisit

    San Diego

    24 reviews

    vip
    4.0

    24 reviews

    Dined on May 7, 2023

    overall4food4service3ambience3
    Come in for the bread and cocktail, stay for the grilled octopus.

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  31. Rastratton

    San Diego

    191 reviews

    vip
    3.0

    191 reviews

    Dined on May 6, 2023

    overall3food2service3ambience4
    we have enjoyed Water Grill many times but this time the crab knuckles were terrible. previously they were full, juicy and full of delicious crab. this time, small and dry with not much crab.

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  32. OpenTable Diner

    Hawaii

    4 reviews

    5.0

    4 reviews

    Dined on May 6, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    We had the spicy lobster roll and beet salad both were delicious. Someone had a king crab the size of a bowling ball. They said it was good.

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  33. OpenTable Diner

    1 review

    2.0

    1 review

    Dined on May 6, 2023

    overall2food2service4ambience2
    Olace was packed and loud. Server was the best part of the meal. Professional and funny. Food was no where bewr worth the price we paid. A chilean sea bass should be buttery and flakey in a tender way. Ours was chewy. Arugula beat salad was ok, but not worth 20$ or more. We paid 180$ for a meal that should of been 60. Sorry, but the truth

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  34. OpenTable Diner

    Wilmington

    4 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    4 reviews

    Dined on May 5, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Always on my top three places to dine while in San Diego!

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  35. OpenTable Diner

    New Orleans

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on May 4, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Excellent staff! Recommendations, service, willingness to make adjustments, all top notch.

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  36. Poki

    San Diego

    1 review

    3.0

    1 review

    Dined on May 4, 2023

    overall3food3service3ambience3
    My wife’s favorite dish is cioppino. The version at Water Grill had very good fish and excellent, mussels and clams. However, the Dungeness crab claws and unpeeled shrimp in the tomato sauce, were extremely difficult to peel making the experience less than desirable.

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  37. Simo

    London

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on May 3, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Thank you all for everytHing! It was amazing! Great atmosphere, lovely food and outstanding service!

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  38. Anonymous

    San Diego

    7 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    7 reviews

    Dined on May 2, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Fantastic dinner with friends and family. Lindsey was pleasant and very attentive as well as the hostess when we first walked in.

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  39. Mojoo

    San Francisco

    172 reviews

    vip
    3.0

    172 reviews

    Dined on May 2, 2023

    overall3food2service5ambience5
    Great ambience, attentive service(Matthew) and a nice complimentary birthday dessert. Pricey! Had the following… Appetizer…crab cake- too much filler, little crab, salty.. shrimp cocktail ..ok Cioppino… nice presentation..too many mushy mussels, only two clams, overcooked fish, tasty shrimp, needed more seasonings for this bowl. Scallops…undercooked and lack of seasonings Caesar salad…Tasty,however, too much salad dressing Was impressed with the delicious sour dough rolls/butter Perhaps, this place would be great for drinks and appetizers. Close to PETCO ballpark.

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  40. Markh

    Las Vegas

    4 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    4 reviews

    Dined on May 2, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience4
    Great experience, service was on point and the meal was delicious!

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FAQs

Water Grill - San Diego offers takeout which you can order by calling the restaurant at (619) 717-6992.

Water Grill - San Diego is rated 4.6 stars by 3010 OpenTable diners.

Water Grill - San Diego does offer gift cards which you can purchase here.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a reservation

2 people

7:00 PM


Booked 73 times today
Google Map for Water Grill - San Diego

615 J Street, San Diego, CA 92101

Dining areas

Additional information

  • Cross street

    6th Avenue and J Street

  • Neighborhood

    Downtown / Gaslamp

  • Hours of operation

    Mon–Thu, Sun 11:30 am–10:00 pm Fri, Sat 11:30 am–11:00 pm

  • Cuisines

    Seafood, American, Fine cuts

  • Dining style

    Casual Elegant

  • Dress code

    Smart Casual

  • Parking details

    Street Parking

  • Payment options

    AMEX, Diners Club, Discover, MasterCard, Visa

  • Executive chef

    Jason Gethin

  • Additional

    Banquet, Bar/Lounge, Beer, BYO Wine, Cocktails, Full Bar, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Takeout, Wheelchair Access, Wine

  • Phone number

    (619) 717-6992

  • Private party facilities

    Whether celebrating a special occasion with family and friends or hosting a corporate outing, Water Grill - San Diego can accommodate all your special event needs.

  • Private party contact

    Arian James : (619) 717-6992

Gift card

Gift card

Send gift cards instantly by email or print to present in person.

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